Blackhawk Rocks the Stage in Avon Friday Night

I was really surprised when I heard Blackhawk was coming to our area because c'mon, hello, it's Blackhawk! I think it's fair to say those guys put on a show like Avon has never seen before.

It was a gorgeous night for an outdoor concert and the band took the stage at about 10:45. They appropriately opened the show with Days of America. They, along with the crowd, jammed out to all their hits for the better part of an hour and a half. Goodbye Says It All, Down in Flames, Just About Right, you name it, they played it.

I have said in past reviews that I prefer when the artist breaks between songs and shares something about themselves, life on the road or their tour. Blackhawk didn't do that and normally I would point out my disappointment.

However, there is an exception to every rule--in this case two because we all know George Strait can get up there, sing away without saying a word to the audience and we'll be okay with it because he's George--and Blackhawk is very much the same. They didn't have much to say but what they did say was entertaining, heartfelt and relevant. They let their music do the talking.

There were two key parts to the show that I enjoyed very much. First, the band played the song Ships of Heaven. If you're not familiar with it, it's a song that one of the founding members, Van Stephenson, wrote about a year before he passed away. It's a beautiful song and the band does an incredible job performing it. They dedicated the song to Joseph, the son/brother of the owners and namesake of the restaurant, who passed away several years ago. Blackhawk was Joe's favorite band, which is the reason they brought them in to play.

The second part of the show that I really appreciated was when Henry pointed they weren't going to play any of this sissy country. There was a little more to it than that but you get the idea. That comment, along with the music they were playing, just reminded me of how much I miss the days when country music was really good and it was actually country music. Not that there aren't talented artists, but the genre as a whole is rapidly changing. Some of the change is positive, some not so much.

Overall, I was very impressed with the show and I really hope we see more of these guys soon!